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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: sharp · calf · leaves · craft · scale · patient · cell · roll

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. sharp — clever
  4. roll — a list
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. craft — boats
  8. scale — size or range
  9. cell — in biology
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. cell — a phone
  16. craft — a skill
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. scale — in music
  24. scale — for weighing

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com